Influence
by Novamyth
Summary: The Allspark was on Earth for over thirty thousand years. It was a mystery even to the Cybertronians, who is to say it is really gone? The lives of the Autobots, Decepticons, and humans are about to change forever; More so for Sam than any other.
1. Prologue

Influence

By Nova Myth

Prologue: In the Rift

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers or any of its characters.

* * *

Secretary John Keller had to fight giving into the urge to slam his forehead onto his desk from the information he had just received. It was hard enough to get a handle on the Autobots and their war without the now apparent… influence the cube, the Allspark, had apparently left on the Earth. Or more importantly, individuals that could mass into the hundreds of thousands to millions. It was staggering. He stared at one Miss. Fiona Dawn who sat across from him.

"So what you are telling me is that even though the Allspark is gone, there are people who… are changed from it?" He was having trouble grasping that people, hell a child, who had been on the other side of the country from where the Allspark had been were affected.

"Something like that, but they have not been changed, they were like this before they were born. And the Allspark is not gone; it just doesn't have a present physical form. If it ever will again is uncertain. But I believe that those who have their… gifts had them all along -they only have awakened. Hence why there could be hundreds, to thousands, maybe millions of people who are 'gifted'. The Allspark was on Earth for over thirty thousand years, you didn't think it wouldn't have any effect on humanity, did you?" 

* * *

Yes, I am evil arn't I? XD Thank you to my beta Psychic-Ghost. I've already started Chapter one and my Spring Break is the week after next so I'll be able to get that out sometime soon. And yes, this Fiona is the same one in my Christmas fic that I was unable to finish. This fic however I have completely plan on finishing, time frame however depends on my school and life.


	2. Chapter 1

Influence

Chapter 1

By: Nova Myth

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers or its characters.

* * *

Will Lennox and his wife jerked upright intheir sleep at the blaring horn the echoed throughout their room. A shrieking from the bedroom down the hall had Sarah heading toward their daughter's bedroom while Will stumbled toward the garage. Flipping light switches down the stairs he realized the power was out and he grabbed an emergency light from the kitchen. Sarah came up behind him with a screaming Annabelle as Will opened the garage door to find Ironhide with his headlights on. "What the hell is with the wake up call?"

"Barricade." That one word through Ironhide's open passenger door was all that was needed to wake Will up and have him jogging back to the bedroom. Sarah stepped forward and laid Annabelle on the seat. The little girl clutched her black bear and Ironhide's seat as she slowly calmed down.

Ten minutes later the little girl was soundly asleep once more and her father re-entered the garage with a green duffel bag. Putting down the bag he took Sarah into his arms and just held her for a moment. She clung to him briefly, breathing in his scent, his strength before letting him go. Will turned to his sleeping angel and gently picked up her, doing his best not to wake her. He held her as tight as he dared before slipping her into Sarah's arms. Giving a kiss on Annabelle's forehead and to Sarah's lips he lifted his bag and climbed into Ironhide. Ironhide rolled soundlessly back out of the garage and headed down the long drive.

"At eleven sixteen pm central time a 911 phone call came into a dispatch of an explosion and roaring that could not identified in a warehouse district of Fort Worth, Texas. When they arrived they found an estimated six to nine victims from the limb count in the warehouse. Optimus has asked me and your unit to deploy and investigate."

"How does Barricade fit into this?"

"A hole that was 'crashed in' is the appropriate size for Barricade in his mech form, and a possible witness was found by news crews outside the lock off zone in a 'zombie state' muttering about glowing red eyes ripping everyone apart."

Will sat still; the image he was presented with was deeply disturbing. Not because of the horror that Barricade had mostly created, but because he could very much visualize the scene. He was no greenhorn soldier. They continued in silence to the nearest base to board a cargo plane bound for Fort Worth.

Three hours later Will stood just outside the off limits area away from the media frenzy in an alley with Ironhide behind him. Epps was talking to officers, first responders, detectives, and forensic people to determine what exactly the probability that it had been Barricade was. Epps had apparently only needed to five minutes to make his decision and was coming toward him behind the media line. The hard look and lighter complexion was a dead giveaway the reports were as gruesome as described.

"It's Barricade, unless there is another one of them here. The whole in the wall is larger than Bumblebee and they worry if it's going to come falling down, so the area is mostly untouched for fear of people being inside if it does. But I did notice large gorges in the floor, claw marks."

A vibration in the air made the hair on the back of their necks stand up. Will looked toward Ironhide, staring at the giant truck, hoping the mech would keep his cool.

"There is more, Will." Will turned back to Epps and from the annoyed and frustrated expression it wasn't good news. "Through what DNA they were able to collect from body parts that had been found outside and on broken glass four of the victims have been identified. They were all part of violent gang with a strong presents in the city. The only suppose survivor and witness is still in lock down suicide watch and not at all coherent."

Will sense there was something else, something that made Epps very uneasy. "Apparently we weren't here first. From what I can gather they're operating under F.B.I but I bet more than anything its Sector Seven"

It took Will and his team a few hours but they eventually tracked down the former Sector Seven agents now working under the F.B.I. and he was not at all pleased to find Simmons at the helm.

This prompted calls to both Optimus via Ironhide and the Secretary of Defense via Optimus to force Simmons to cough up what info he had and co-operation with Will to be in charge and not the former Sector Seven agent who was left with the task of clean up and containment.

Even with the co-operation with police, forensic teams, and the agents with non-existence sleep they were no closer to finding out what had happen, or why. Shortly after finding the Sector Seven agents the building that was the main crime scene collapsed, destroying most of the evidence that was there.

The classic saying of a break in the case came two days later from a forensic DNA tech working for the F.B.I. with clearance for knowledge of Barricade.

"How does this rape case tie into our mass homicide?" Will was a having a little bit of trouble seeing whatever connection the tech thought he saw.

"Five different DNA were found on the victim, not just sperm but also blood DNA as well. Two sperm donors, all exact matches to your homicide victims, and one more blood donors found on the victims skin and two more under her fingernails. All exact matches. According to the hospital records and the rape kit documentation the rape happen near the same time frame of the homicides."

Will stared at the folder closed before him, not wanting to read the graphic details of the suffering, war was one thing, and this was entirely different. "As strange as that is, why do you think this ties to Barricade, and the rape did not happen somewhere else before the murders?"

"Footage at the hospital shows she was dropped off by a police car in the Ambulance drop off at the emergency room entrance. Staff reported the police officer never left the car, and once the victim was removed from the passenger seat it took off."

* * *

Sam Witwicky couldn't help but muse how much the past year his life had changed as he carried buckets from the garage to the parked Camero in his backyard on the driveway and began to fill them with soap and water. He had returned home from the battle at Mission City battered and bruised but alive. His only lasting remind physically were the scars on his hands from the Allspark. His parents took the whole alien robots- your son is a hero- its hush, hush deal pretty well in his opinion. His mother was hysterical at his battered and bruised body and if it wasn't for some smooth talking by Keller her view on the whole thing would have gone south. His Dad only had to puff his chest up and meet Sam's eyes to know Sam had made him proud of the family motto.

"You're in La la land again Sam." Sam looked up at Mikeala only to look down to see the bucket he was suppose to be filling up was well over flowing and with no soap suds. He cursed as she giggled and set sponges and rags on some fold up chairs next to Bumblebee.

Neither of the two teens noticed the red Ford F-250 double cab park out in front of Sam's home. Judy Witwicky however noticed and watched as two adults and one child exited the passenger side doors. They were all dressed casually in blue jeans, sneakers, and shirts. The little girl looked to be about five years ago. Long light brown hair in two pig tails with silver and blue ribbons. Around the front of the truck a young woman in her late teens or early twenty's started up the walkway toward the front door while the others took to standing at the end of the drive.

The woman was the only one wearing boots with her jeans. Her long hair was pulled back in a pony tail with a black cap that had silver buttons on the lip of the hat. Judy watched out of sight as the woman rang the door bell once and waited a few moments before going to the door. "Yes, how can I help you?"

"Mrs. Witwicky?" At Judy's nod the stranger continued. "My name is Fiona Dawn. I'm here to see Sam in respect to a mutual friend."

"Oh?" Judy's face went from cautious to beaming.

"Yes, Ma'am. Is Sam here? Its quiet urgent I speak with him."

"Yes, Yes, he's in the drive out back about washing his car. Go right around with your friends and I'll bring out some lemonade for the little one."

"Thank you, ma'am, you're most kind." Fiona turned and went down the steps as Judy shut the door and rushed for the back.

"Sam!"

"What, mom?"

"You have some visitors; I think they're here about your friends." Judy looked toward Bee before looking back to her son. "They're coming up the drive; I'll be back with punch."

Sam stood there for a moment before looking at his girl friend, puzzled. Clearing the house the group walked toward Sam, but being sure to stay in front of Bumblebee. The little girl however leaned against his grill, laughing and trying to hug the front of the car.

"Hello Sam Witwicky, or should I say I say Ladiesman217. I'm here on behalf of a friend. I was wondering if you could tell us where we could find Optimus Prime."

"Wha…" Sam didn't get to finish his sentence as a soft rumble echoed from the street as a very familiar and not at all welcomed black and white vehicle drove up behind the two of the adults standing between it and Bumblebee. Bumblebee's own engine roared to life, but he could do nothing with the little girl practically lying on top of his hood.

Barricade's passenger door opened gently and a very battered woman slowly stood with assistance from Fiona. Her face was swollen and one eye shut in a collage of black, purple, and blue. Little bandaged covered her face, covering cuts in various places. Her right hand was in a cast and she leaned heavily on Fiona.

"He's just here to find Prime and to have a little chat."

* * *

TBC...

Thank you to my beta Psychic-Ghost. Also thank you to LittleMewLugia, lilyoftheval5, and Keitsu Han'ei for their reviews. I said I'd have a chapter out during my Spring Break and I did it! XD Now to get to the house chores I've been neglecting... .


	3. Chapter 2

Influence

Chapter 2

By: Nova Myth

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers or any of its characters.

Thank you to my beta Psychic-Ghost.

* * *

Fiona didn't have a chance to introduce the severely wounded woman in her arms since Judy was shrieking in horror at the poor girl's injuries. Dropping her tray of plastic glasses and pitcher of lemonade she hurried over to the girl. "You poor thing! Sam, get that chair for her. Come right over here to the porch where you can sit in the shade. You poor dear."

"**What are you doing here Barricade?"**

"**Didn't you hear the fleshy? You need to get your audios replaced."**

The attention diverted from Barricade was for but a moment as the little girl threw herself away from Bumblebee and at Barricade's brush guard, not the least bit disturbed by the shrieking lady. "Barricade! Miss you!" Pulling herself up and over his guard she ghosted kissed his hood. If Sam wasn't flabbergasted before he sure was now. Bee was equally flabbergasted, his engine puttering in a choking stutter of shock.

The blaring sirens sounding off in the distance rapidly approaching was Sam's first indication of back up. The Search and Rescue vehicle came around the corner of the street, tires burning rubber as it gunned toward the house. The little girl slipped down from Barricade's guard and ran down his driver's side to his rear. Without a lick of fear she put out her hand and shrieking with her high voice, "Stop!" As the vehicle came to a shuddering halt inches from her hand in the drive.

"SHIA! This is not a cartoon!" The little girl was ripped from her super hero world as one of the young women yanked her into her arms and swatted the girl firmly on her butt. "You do not get in front of moving cars! Even if you think they are like Barricade, they can't always stop!"

"But sissy! It worked!" Shia whined.

The rescue hummer before them had abruptly shut off its sirens and lights, slamming on his brakes when it had entered the drive. Ratchet now sat in a state of shock.

With Judy fussing over the young woman on the porch Fiona walked up to Mikaela who didn't have such a sever look of shock on her face. "I guess I'll start introductions. I am Fiona Dawn; the little wiggling mass is Shia. The woman holding her is her older sister, Danny. The injured girl who arrived in Barricade is Mia. I'm sure you all have questions, but let's hold them until we see Optimus Prime, please."

"**What is going through your half scrapped processor, Barricade? Do you really think Optimus Prime is going to anything but scrap you after killing so many humans!"**

"**SILENCE, MEDIC! You know nothing! I justifiably killed those miserable carbon based flesh insects!"**

"Really now, there's no reason to rush." Judy interrupted. "Mia, is it? Let her rest here a bit. Or you robots can go settle whatever it is that has to be settled."

"_**NO!" **_Barricade all but snarled both out loud and through the communication lines, a disturbing rumble echoing through the bones of the humans.

"Easy Barricade! Easy… We don't have a lot of time." She looked at Judy before turning back to Sam. "Barricade's been trying his best to keep certain men in black from finding him. They've been trailing him off and on the last few months. Trying to put them on a false trail is how Mia was hurt, to put it simply. But to get here since she was released from the hospital as quickly as possible didn't allow us to do so without leaving a trail behind. We might have a day or only a few hours before they realize he's in this area."

"**Optimus to Ratchet… Report."**

Sam absorbed what Fiona was saying; painfully remembering Sector Seven and their treatment of Bee and the disregard to him and Mikaela at the time. Barricade was listed as dangerous, and they wouldn't hesitate to take him out if they could, a few human casualties be damned. He turned to Bee, his mind made up. "Bee."

Bee's window rolled down.

"_Transmission from Starfleet Captain." _

"Optimus Prime will meet us at Hoover Dam." Ratchet pitched in.

"_Let's get this show on the road!"_

Shia giggled and got away from her sister to hug Bee's grill again.

"Oh alright." Judy huffed, getting everyone's attention on her again. "Sam, go pack, I have a feeling you'll be gone a few nights. Miss. Dawn, I have reservations about letting Mia leave."

"I understand Mrs. Witwicky. She's hasn't been trailing in the police car the entire time, we have an RV parked at a camp ground outside the city. We'll be swinging by there first before going to Optimus Prime."

"Good, she needs proper rest. I just wish I had some of my chicken soup made to send along."

Fifteen minutes later they left Sam's house with Bee in the leading of the group to Mikaela's before Fiona would lead them to the camp ground. "Sorry Bee, you're going to have to wait for that wash."

"It is alright Sam."

Sam ran his hand over Bee's dashboard. "What do you make of all this, Bee?"

"I don't know. Mia, Fiona, and the little girl have trace energy readings. Ratchet wants to take in depth scans when we arrive at Hoover Dam."

"Energy, what kind of energy?" Mikaela sat up and leaned forward.

"Ratchet won't say."

* * *

Keller looked up as his assistance arrived at his shoulder and passed him a paper before slipping back out of the room he was currently sitting in meeting with various military department heads.

_Optimus Prime is on the line._

"Excuse me gentlemen." He stood and exited the room to where his assistance handed him a phone and he walked away to a quiet corner. Optimus Prime never called outside of a previously arranged time unless it was of importance.

"This is Keller."

"Good evening, I am sorry if my unexpected call has created any inconvience."

"Not at all."

"Barricade has surfaced. He approached peacefully Bumblebee at Sam's house in the company of a group of humans. One in fact is the human that Lennox and his team were searching for to question. He has requested to meet me."

"This is…"

"Unexpected, yes. I request the use of Hoover Dam facilities and all stationed there to be aware of the situation and to not to fire at Barricade. I am en route. Ironhide and Lennox's team will need to be flown out of Texas."

"I'll have it done within the hour."

"Thank you, Mister Secretary. I will keep you updated."

The connection ended and Keller stood for a few moments, mulling over the information. It had been quiet for so many months with only ghost sighting and reports of this Barricade. Keller had the feeling he was going to be getting very little sleep in the days to come. Turning on the phone, he began to go through the channels to have everything in place before Prime arrived at Hoover Dam.

* * *

An hour after leaving Sam's house, the unusual caravan pulled into the secluded camp ground. A C-class twenty foot RV and thirty-five foot fifth-wheel camper sat near each other with room for two cars to sit spaciously between them. The two travel units were facing opposite directions so their doors faced each other. A spacious awning was set up between the two shaded the area. Barricade pulled in directly in the middle and opened his passenger door as a young woman with short spiked light brown hair in red cowgirl boots, blue jeans, and a sleeveless shirt came out of the RV to help Mia. Fiona and Shia got out of the truck while Danny went to backing up under the fifth wheel. Sam and Mikaela stepped out of Bumblebee and stood watching, not really sure what to do.

"Shia, why don't you get Sam and Mikeala and show them how to close up the camper for travel."

"OKAY!" The little girl ran to Sam and grabbed his hand, dragging him toward the camper. Bee shut his door and settled down to watch, keeping all primary sensors on Barricade.

Half an hour later, everything in the camper was stowed away, all sides retracted and braced, and the camper lowered and locked to the back of the truck. Barricade pulled out from under the awning and it was taken down and stowed inside the camper.

With last minute, checks Fiona stood before the two Autobots with everyone gathered around. "Okay, we're ready to move. Last minute introductions, this is Kailey. She'll be driving the RV with Mia. We'll be talkin' through CB radio channel thirteen. We're gonna need to stop at a truck stop about fifty miles from the Dam for fuel. Okay, all good?"

"_Let's ride!"_

As soon as the plan had touched down at Nellis Air Force Base, Ironhide's engine roared to life. The second Lennox and Epps were in his cab and the cargo door was down he roared out and down the runway. Two military humvees followed, carrying Lennox's team, Agent Simmons, and a few other agents.

Ironhide communicated his position with Ratchet and coordinated a possible rendezvous point according to current traveling distance from each other's groups on Interstate Fifteen. He was not letting that slagging Con anywhere near Prime without his cannons firmly locked on target.

* * *

"Little Racing Bee, come in!" Shia's voice came over the CB Radio channel he was tapped into. Stifled laughter and giggles echoed in the background through the channel. Mikaela couldn't help but stifle a giggle as well.

"Yes, Shia."

"Three away exits is a huge gas place. Our truck needs to eat. Copy?" Mikeala officially lost it at that point.

An amused ten four followed.

After exiting the interstate and entering the truck stop, Danny's truck and Kailey's RV lined up at the pumps. Barricade, Ratchet, and Bumblebee moved to sit and wait at the back of the regular car parking lot. Sam and Mikeala went inside the truck stop with Fiona and Shia. A few minutes later, nature's call answered, the four bought water, juice, and sodas and walked to the back of the parking lot. Danny was just pulling up to the pump for her turn. Kailey was over at the RV waste dump line after filling the fuel tank.

"So… how long have you known Barricade?"

Fiona looked up at Sam after taking a swing of her Fuze drink. "Me? About a month and a half."

"What? But you said he's been trying to hide for months."

"He has, with Mia. How they meet, how long ago, is a secret. I don't even know all the details."

Before Sam could ask another question a black top kick pickup truck followed closely by two military humvees roared into the parking lot.

"Uh oh."

"Let me guess. The trigger happy weapon's specialist."

At Sam and Mikaela's startled looks Fiona only smiled. When arrived to the back Ironhide was almost bumper to bumper with Barricade, engine still rumbling. Epps was out of the truck but Lennox refused to exit. Before anyone could really say anything Shia ran the last few yards from behind the truck to its front bumper and began to solidly hit Ironhide with her Tropicana Lemonade bottle. "Get back you temper bully! Get back! Leave him alone."

"As amusing as this is, perhaps you should move before you draw unwanted attention. You're crowding a police car, black truck. And two military humvees with soldiers not making a 'pit' stop when they pulled into a parking lot will also draw attention." Fiona said as she walked the length of the truck, not even pausing, and continued to Barricade's side next to Ratchet.

With one last deep rumble Ironhide jerked in reverse and expertly, if not testily, circled and parted on the other side of Bumblebee. The two humvees did the same, and soldiers exited and went to get something to drink, to at least keep the pretense, as pointed out by Fiona as people were openingly staring.

Agent Simmons hopped out of the back of one of the humvees once things had settled down and walked around Ratchet to Sam. A very soft but angry rumble vibrated from each of the vehicles with the exception of Barricade. "Long time no see kid."

"Not long enough."

"Aw, come now. No hard feelings. The world endangered, confusion, chaos, stuff happens."

Sam really wanted to retort back with some strong language but with a five year old not a few feet away he wasn't about to go that low.

"Sure, no hard feelings. If you hadn't shown up, we would have given Optimus the glasses, Autobots would have gotten the Allspark, Megatron would still be under ice, and Mission City would be in one piece. But on the bright side, we have government salaries we don't have to work for, all college expenses paid, and no sign your life away contracts." Mikeala said as she leaned over her boyfriend's shoulder on her from her spot on Bee's hood.

"Nice to see you too, Miss Criminal."

Sam took a step toward Simmons, Bee's engine roared. Lennox hastily grabbed Simmons by the back of neck and swung him around to the other side of Ratchet to the Humvee. "Just can't keep your mouth shut, can you!"

Thankfully for all parties present, the soldiers returned with their drinks for the road; Danny and Kailey were ready to roll as well. Everyone went back to their respective vehicles and one by one they filed out. Bumblebee in the lead, followed by the Danny's truck, the Kailey's RV, Barricade, Ratchet, Ironhide, and the two military humvees.

Finally, an hour later, they arrived at the turn off to go down to the Hoover Dam entrance. The gate was lifted, and the line made their way through. Down this hill, past the massive doors, they slowly went down deep underground. Down, down, down they went at a crawling pace.

"How far are we going?" Shia asked.

"I don't know sweetie, I don't know." They stared out at the never ending tunnel, they had been moving at a crawl because of the incline and the fact Danny's truck was pulling such a large trailer.

"I'm guess we're at least a thousand feet underground now." Danny pitched in as the ground finally leveled off and Bee turned off to another tunnel with an end in sight a few hundred yards away. As they crested the opening the massive chamber stole their breaths away. Danny pulled alongside the wall about sixty feet before stopping and beginning to back up camper to the wall, only to stop as she turned her head and caught sight of Optimus Prime, who stood to the side of the entrance, out of view until this very moment. His massive presence, easily double Barricade's, astounded her.

Fiona stared as well, but for entirely different reasons. She knew that profile well, too well, from her dreams. The back door to the cab opened and Shia hopped out, paying no heed to the vehicles still entering and the Cybertronians transforming around her. Fiona shouted her name but the little girl was fixed on the figure before her. Ratchet flashed his lights and whooped his siren as he halted abruptly, as the girl had stepped into Ironhide's path. This mattered little, she didn't hear anything but her own breath. She jogged to Optimus who stared down at her with a baffled expression that could be made out from behind his faceplate.

"What are you doing, little one?" He slowly knelt down to her, Ironhide already standing between him and Barricade, who was currently also kneeling but next to the parked RV. "You should not be so careless, you could get hurt." His face were mere feet from hers.

Shia stared in awe for a moment before smiling a very large grin. "I know you!"

"You do?" To say Prime was shocked was an understatement.

"Yes!" She turned on her heel and ran between Ironhide's legs back towards the camper.

Optimus stood baffled, only to be more shocked as the little girl briefly touched Barricade before entering the camper that was now parked, and with no fear, and no aggression or disgust from Barricade. Barricade stood, and walked toward Optimus Prime. Ironhide's cannons were already online, and they targeted on Barricade. "You wished to speak to me, Barricade?"

"Yes, Prime. I wish an exchange."

"An exchange?"

"In return for security, protection by association, and medical attention provided by your medic to me and mine, we formally defect from the Decepticon ranks. We are not Autobots, but request a full alliance."

"We, Barricade?"

"Yes, we." Barricade turned aside and Mia was wheeled forward to his feet before Prime. On her lap was a large bundle of blankets placed there by Kailey. Mia moved the blankets and there sat a severely damaged, but very much alive, Frenzy.

A very loud whine issued from Ironhide's cannons as they heated, wanting so badly to shoot. Optimus stared hard at the girl, and more importantly who was in her lap. Frenzy stared back with three optics, wobbling on the girl's lap as he tried to sit up. His head was warped, mostly healed but not completely. Mia moved her good arm around him, staring up with a calm and unfazed gaze.

"Have your medic disarm me, and Frenzy."

"You would defect for an organic being?"

"She is mine." Barricade answered, his tone possessive. Frenzy shakily nodded his head, nearly falling off of Mia's lap before Kailey caught him.

"Yours?"

"His." A quiet but scratchy voice answered from Mia.

"Very well, I will hear you out."

* * *

TBC

Credits:

"_Message from Starfleet Captain."_ Star Trek original series

"_Let's get this show on the road!"_ A Goofy Movie

"_Let's ride!" _Trace Adkins

Also thank you to Hikari Kaiya, Delilah Draken, and lilyoftheval5 for your reviews!


	4. Chapter 3

Influence

Chapter 3

By: Nova Myth

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers or any of its characters.

Thank you to my beta Psychic-Ghost and Mmouse15 . And thank you to Karategal for giving me permission to use certain things from her Sparkling and Youngling series.

"Speaking"

_"Thinking"_

**"Com-link communication"**

"_**Cybertronian"**_

"Ratchet."

Ratchet stepped forward and Barricade bared his arms. Minutes passed as Ratchet opened panels and deactivated Barricade's weapons and blades. Sam and Mikaela were leaning against Bumblebee's feet, seeking comfort, as well as giving it. They had not returned to this place since they had retrieved the Allspark and taken it to Mission City. It had been over a year since that fateful day, but the memories still fresh as if only a day had passed. Those few hours spent in this hidden facility had been painful, more so for Bumblebee; Mikaela and Sam understood this without words and sought to comfort him simply with their touch.

Agent Simmons caught their attention as he and another agent who had a stack of papers were walking toward Mia, Frenzy, and Kailey. "Don't tell me he's that stupid…"

Simmons' movements were not ignored by Barricade, who had turned his attention from the medic disabling his weapons to the human who apparently had gotten on the bad side of the Autobots.

Just as Simmons was about to open his mouth, Kailey stepped between Simmons and Mia, blocking the injured woman from his view.

"Really now, is that really called for?"

"Are those pretty much sign your life away contracts?" Kailey asked as she nodded pointedly at the stack of papers in the arms of the agent behind Simmons.

Simmons looked up at Prime who narrowed his optics. "Hey now, measures have to be taken-" Simmons never saw the fist coming as he was looking from Prime and back to Kailey. Bone crunch, his nose caved, blood gushed, and he howled like a dying animal.

Prime looked appalled, the rest of the Autobots and humans shocked. Frenzy crackled and Barricade released a sadistic chuckle with a grin to match. Kailey flexed her hand, knuckles popping disturbingly, as if it was nothing.

"Stay away from Mia. That's about the only warning you're going to get. Better my fist than Barricade's, Agent."

From behind his bloodied hands he raged. "I'm Government FBI, formerly Sector Seven. I can have you under arrest and incarcerated for this!"

"There is no prison, there is no camp, and there is no cage_ you_ can bar me in. Heed my warning." There was a light in her brown eyes that gave them almost a red tint as she said this. Simmons' hair stood on end, and he instinctively took a step back. Ratchet's sensors were going fritzy at the small levels of an unusual energy pouring out of the woman.

"Enough, Kailey." Fiona had walked across the room during the commotion. "Optimus Prime, my name is Fiona Dawn. After you're spoken to Barricade, it is important that I have a private word with you." Barricade at that point stepped away from Ratchet, all his weapon systems disabled. Fiona wheeled Mia and Frenzy toward Ratchet while Kailey walked to the RV to clean her hand of Simmons' blood.

"Now," Prime turned his attention solely on Barricade. "I believe explanations are in order."

"And I will give them, but only in private." Optimus raised what a human would describe his eyebrow over his optics. Ironhide's cannons whined in his opinion of the matter. "I am disarmed. For all I care have your bodyguard follow, but this conversation will be between us, and only us, Prime."

Optimus rumbled in thought, turning his attention to those in the room. His gaze settled on Ratchet with Frenzy splayed out on the floor, delicate instruments unfolding from his fingers and delving into the finer circuitry of the cassetticon to disable his weapons. His optics moved to Mia in her wheelchair.

He stared at the young woman; with all her injures, she had to be in great pain, yet she was sitting patiently waiting without a whimper or a sound. The only vocal thing, be it moan, sigh, or word, she had uttered since arriving was, "His." Barricade's. She accepted this as if it was fact, a connection he could not perceive nor believe. And yet… as his processor went over the information Ironhide had sent him the last few days, the underlining evidence was hard to deny.

Did Barricade truly care for this human? If all was to be believed he did. He saved her from a possibly brutal death, killing those responsible while at the same time taking her to receive medical attention. He had sought protection, seeking Optimus out as Prime, solely for this human - if all was to be believed. But after so many vorns of war, he had learned that anything could be a trick, designed to make him let guard down - but there was the matter of the humans to consider.

"**Ratchet."**

"**Frenzy's communication circuits are damaged; he is unable to communicate through com-link or verbal words of any kind."**

"Very well," Optimus initiated his transformation sequence. Barricade and Ironhide followed him. But before he could even turn his engine, Fiona stood in front of Prime's form, blocking his path.

"Not so fast, we're coming too. It's best I have my talk right after you're done talking to Cade, you're going to have questions only I can answer." Fiona turned and Shia came running with a backpack she could barely carry and a sketch pad that was larger than the five year old. Kailey followed at a more sedate pace. "Could you open your doors please? Barricade only lets Mia ride him willingly." There was snickering from somewhere in the background from its double meaning.

"**She speaks the truth Prime; you will have questions that it is best for her to answer."** Barricade com-linked Prime when Optimus refused to open his doors.

"**Then what is the point of the child and the other adult coming too?" **

"**Not a clue, but Fiona usually has a reason for everything, annoying as it might be."**

Prime opened his door and Shia shrieked in excitement thrusting the sketch pad at Kailey so she could climb into his cab. More shrieking could be heard as she found the bed in the rear of his cab. "Shia! Stop jumping, you're in side him for Christ sake's!" Kailey continued to yell as she tried to get a hold of the wired five year old.

Fiona turned and addressed Ratchet, who was done disabling Frenzy's weapons. "I trust you'll keep the annoying men in black away from Mia. Kailey's warning should be heeded." She turned to nod at Danny who was staying behind. With that she walked to Prime's driver side and climbed in, leaving a bewildered couple standing there. With his driver door shutting Prime's engine roared to life, and he drove past everyone with a bouncing Shia at his dash waving at everyone as they passed. Barricade followed with Ironhide tailing.

The different groups watched the three vehicles leave. The soldiers, quiet and observant, now focused their attention solely on Frenzy. Ratchet finished disarming Frenzy and allowed the cassetticon to roll over. "Mikaela and Danni, would you be kind enough to help Mia stand up from her wheelchair so I may scan her injuries?"

Mikaela stepped away from Bumblebee and cautiously approached Ratchet, eyeing Frenzy who stared back at her. Slowly and gently Mikaela took her cues from the injured woman and Danni and soon they were standing. Mikeala was surprised that once she was side by side with the woman and could tell that Mia would be a few inches shorter than herself. After a rumble and nod from Ratchet, Mikeala helped Danny ease Mia back into the wheelchair and stepped back as Frenzy scrambled under it.

"So…" Sam stuffed his hands into his pockets, still leaning against Bumblebee. "You're with Barricade…"

Mia eyed the boy; even with her bruised face, she looked amused. "Yes, I'm with Barricade."

Sam flushed and coughed, shuffling his feet.

"You're wondering how that works."

Sam's flushed face deepened. "No, no…" A broken crackling laugh came from beneath Mia's wheelchair.

Lennox came around from behind Ratchet, his men filing around and creating a perimeter. Sam gave him a questioning look before looking back from the direction the man had come, Simmons, with a handful of agents, was marching forward, this time without paperwork. Ratchet gave a displeased rumble and placed himself between the men in black and his patients.

"Think real carefully, Mr. Simmons."

Simmons held his hands up, "Just here to talk, that's all."

Frenzy slipped out from under the chair and promptly gave Simmons the finger, shrieking as he did so. His movement made everyone but Ratchet, Danni, and Mia uneasy.

"I believe Frenzy's made a point, however crude. Now is not the time to talk. I suggest you wait till Prime returns before thinking about approaching the young woman again, Simmons." Lennox spoke for the first time since they had arrived. His men closed ranks, effectively blocking Simmons' view of the young woman. Bumblebee chirped in agreement, shifting on his feet behind the men.

Simmons huffed and turned on his heel, stomping off in the direction he had come.

Ratchet turned his attention back to Mia, staring at her for a few moments. "As many questions as any one of you might have, my patient needs rest. Sam, Mikaela, would you kindly help Danni helping Mia into the RV to rest?" The two teens stepped forward and wheeled Mia towards the RV, Frenzy trailing behind unsteadily and ignoring everyone else.

* * *

Several miles outside of Hoover Dam, an odd procession of three vehicles traveled down the road. Even with the current situation with Barricade, Optimus found himself highly amused at the five year old current bouncing in his cab. As soon as he had started to move to leave the facility, little Shia had been begging him to take a burned CD into his player and play the songs. Fiona mainly sat back and let Kailey argue and attempt to wrestle the CD from the five year old. He relented and found an odd mix, from Disney soundtracks of various shows to pop songs. The five year old sung along, no matter the song.

When they had turned onto the highway and he gained speed, the little girl shrieked, screamed, and pretty much begged him to jump to track number nineteen and turn it up loud. Kailey bellowed against it, but he had already consented to the child's wish. At first the music had a rock rhythm, but once the music started with lyrics and he realized through a search of the internet what was playing, Prime couldn't help but laugh as Shia sung her heart out to Trace Adkins' song Ride. How fitting indeed, was all Prime could muse as the little girl bounced and swayed to the different lengths of the lyrics.

Prime turned off the highway and took a road that led around the hills toward the river south of the Dam. Finally, he stopped between two hills and opened his doors. After retrieving everything from inside of him Fiona, Shia, and Kailey exited and Optimus transformed. He lowered a hand, and the humans climbed on. He stepped off the deserted road and led the party down between the hills before climbing step by step up again, hidden from all the roads. Over a small ridge he walked, down an incline into a depression. It was not overly large, but from here they were given some privacy. From here they were blocked from most prying eyes. Only hikers or those by air would be able to spot them if by chance.

Gently he lowered his hand down, and the females slid off. Straightening, he faced Barricade before nodding and walking to the other end. Barricade followed and Ironhide's vents flushed loudly in frustration. The females settled down in the shadow of Ironhide's body, ignoring his glare. Ironhide returned his gaze to the retreating backs of Optimus and Barricade and focused solely on them.

Optimus ran dozens of possible questions he wanted answered and made a list to maintain while Barricade talked to see what was answered and what would need to be asked afterwards. It has been just over a year since the battle of Mission City, and it weighed heavily on his mind. He had not received even a ghost of an answer to his message to the stars. Was there any hope left for his race?

Optimus turned and faced Barricade when they reached the other side of the depression, several hundred yards away from Ironhide and the humans.

"**Your explanations, Barricade."**

Barricade rumbled, his face scrunching up and he looked away from Prime, staring into the distance thinking of where to begin.

"**After the Allspark was destroyed, I wandered. I had lost contact with Frenzy and believed him to be dead; Starscream had fled, leaving me the last Decepticon on this mud ball. I did not wish to become scrap from your trigger happy bodyguard, so I traveled, leaving ghost trails much of the time. I recharged in abandoned buildings when I could. That is how Mia found me."**

Barricade paused, remembering that day more clearly than anything in his processor. Entering from his forced entrance at the loading garage door, dripping wet from running in the rain.

"**She had apparently been running from other humans when she took shelter in the same building I was in. She tells me now that she knew I was alive and not a state trooper vehicle, something of a sixth sense told her, but I didn't sense anything on my sensors. That is, until she touched me."**

"**She touched you?" **Optimus could not help but raise an optic ridge at the other mech's tone. It had shaken, however briefly in that moment, but he had caught it. Barricade visibly shivered, surprising Prime.

"**Yes, touched me. When her finger tips touched the hood of my alternate form, a charge went through me and touched my spark. It's something that is hard to describe, but it felt very much like spark energy. That is how we meet and that is where our relationship began. Our relationship is our own, and I wish to keep that private, Prime."**

"**Very well. How is Frenzy alive? You said you thought he was dead."**

"**Fiona. She found him, somehow knew where to find him. Apparently residual energy left by the Allspark healed him enough to survive and get out when the humans thought he was dead. When he got out of the Dam, Fiona found him within a few hours. She knew of me too, which surprised the scrap out of me when Mia 'introduced' me to her friends. How she knew, I have not a fragging clue. Frenzy has been unable to communicate in length until recently through typing on a human's computer keyboard."**

Prime turned his gaze to the woman sitting at Ironhide's feet. She stared right back. Even though, to her vision, he would be a blur in the distance because of the heat, he felt she was unwavering in meeting his optics with her eyes. Turning back to Barricade, he nodded for the other mech to continue.

"**As you might have guessed something is… different about Mia. She has a gift, a gift that is amazing and hard to explain. When she uses this gift, it is energy in a form that only she can show. I don't have the sensors to record it properly. It feels similar to the Allspark, but it is not."**

The last sentence had Optimus' full attention. **"Similar to the Allspark? How?"**

"**Again, I don't have the sensors to record it; they would malfunction when it would happen. But the energy resonates deep within the body, touching the spark. Fiona understands it better than I do. Mia won't be able to do it again for some time."**

"**Why is it you say that?"**

"**It is done based off… her emotions, from what I understand. Because of recent events…" **Barricade trailed off in a darkening rumble, his claws clenching, his posture tensing, and Optimus realized it was because of the attack just a few days before.

"**I need to know what happened Barricade, a brief summary is all I need, but I must know."** Barricade snarled, struggling to control the rising rage. Optimus shifted his stance to be defensive if need be, should Barricade lose control of it.

"**I was trying to lay a false trail from the city we were in for the agents when Mia was attacked. She wears a sensor that tells me of her vital signs should they reach certain points, and it had a distress signal she could activate. It went off when I was outside the city. Mia isn't ready to tell me what happened exactly yet. From what I was able to piece together from reports, the club she was performing at was hit for a raid, when she got out of the mess she was taken. The rest you know."**

Prime rumbled in thought, taking in the mech before him, finding it all very hard to believe.

"**Have you threatened or harmed any other humans except those who have recently harmed Mia?"**

Barricade growled, not at all pleased with the question. **"Trick question Prime, and you know it. Threaten, yes. Harm, no. I made it clear to those who learned of my existence what the boundaries were. They were wise enough not to cross them, with the exception of one, Shia. I'm sure you can figure out why, Prime."**

Optimus hummed thoughtfully, considering the former shock trooper's words. **"I will need to speak to Mia." **His words were met with the expected result; Barricade rumbled darkly, bordering on a snarl but did not speak a word in return. **"Eventually." **Optimus turned and began walking toward Ironhide and the human females. So many unanswered questions, but they would have to wait. The only one who could clear his mind on this matter was much too injured and needed time to deal with the trauma she had endured.

As they approached, Optimus noticed the little girl was on the ground in Ironhide's shadow, drawing on the sketch pad that was almost as big as she was. As he stepped up, he glanced at it and his systems nearly froze. There on the sketch pad was a figure falling, clutching an object. Shia was focusing on shading the figure that was more of a shadow than anything. A silhouetted monster with long claws stood at the cliff the person was falling from. Clutched in the shadow's arms was a carefully drawn cube, having more detail than anything else in the picture. It was almost exactly the same as that fateful day and he watched as the five year old before him continued to edit and refine the details. Even though he was a shadow, Optimus could easily tell it was Sam and the Allspark clutched in his arm. Megatron stood above reaching out for what was out of his grasp.

He stepped forward and knelt down. Shia looked up and smiled, her fingers dark with pencil residue. She stood and held her picture up to him.

"Why don't you show Optimus your other drawings, Shia?" Fiona asked, her eyes never leaving Optimus.

"Okay!"

Shia flipped the sketch pad to its first page, and in perfect detail, sitting in its chamber as it had once been on Cybertron, was the Allspark. Optimus' intakes caught in memory. Shrouded figures of Cybertronians walked or stood around the massive cube, while the cube was painstakingly drawn to every last ancient glyph. The little girl turned the page, Optimus was staring rough at a sketch of his face as it was now since his arrival to Earth. The next page was of Sam, sketched roughly but easily identifiable with another perfect rendering of the Allspark in his hands as he thrust it above his head in a blazing fire. Optimus knew that moment in time as well. Few had witnessed it and certainly none of those present.

"How..."

"The Allspark."

All three Cybertronians jerked at Fiona's words. Not even Barricade knew of these drawings.

"Since Shia could hold a crayon she's been drawing cubes. Always perfecting. Once she figured out how to make them look three dimensional, she moved onto to shading and drawing the glyphs. She didn't perfect it until a few weeks after Mission City."

"Are you suggesting the Allspark has been talking to this child? You've got rust in your processor, human." Ironhide said gruffly.

"Yes and no. Showing her single images. She has been trying to draw Optimus but only has again recently figured out _what_ she was drawing from what I understand. It is a gift that is developing. Just like Mia's is a gift, but original in its own. Kailey and myself are also gifted by the Allspark. The Allspark as you know it is gone, but it's left traces on the human race."

Optimus returned to his full height, his narrowed optics on Fiona. "I find that hard to believe."

"You want proof? I'll give it to you, but you better transform to your cab, because I have a feeling you want this to be kept private."

Optimus and Fiona locked optics and eyes, one weighing the other. The tension was broken shortly but a nervous plea. "Fi…" Fiona broke the stare, looking to a nervous Shia clutching her sketch book that was now closed. "He did not like?"

Optimus felt a weight descend onto his shoulders at seeing the once unfazed and bright child so nervous and scared staring into the ground. "No, little one, I like them. They are very good; you have a great talent, Shia." Shia brightened and smiled up at Optimus. Optimus still couldn't help but feel guilty for not saying so earlier. "Fiona and I just have much to talk about."

He transformed into his alternate mode and opened the door for Fiona. Fiona whispered soft words to the still unsure Shia before climbing into his cab. With a soft click the door shut and locked.

"So, I believe you have some explaining to do, Miss. Fiona Dawn."

Fiona took a deep breath, leaving heavily against the leather seat. "Since the day of the Mission City disaster, I have been dreaming. Dreams I could not understand. I would see these robotic forms, sometimes in peace, sometimes in battle, but every time I would dream I would feel a weight in the back of my mind. It started to piece together when I first saw Shia's first scribbles of the Allspark. I didn't know what it was called until Mia told me what Barricade had told her. When I dream I do not hear, the Allspark has no human voice, but I feel its presence, and sometimes its emotion. It showed me how and where to find Frenzy. It had shown me Hoover Dam, the road I would need to take, where to stop and where to hike to find him hiding and nearly dead. That was the most direct dream of foretelling it has given me since this all began."

"An interesting story, but how do I know you are telling the truth and not telling just a story? The Allspark effected mechanical life, not organic. You spinning a tale that it is in communication with you?"

Fiona smiled, crossed her arms and rudely placed her feet on his dash before continuing. "You want proof? That little robot, who I believe is called Bumblebee, is no ordinary mech. The Allspark did not bear him, but it knows his story. He came from you. More specifically that thing in your chest I believe is called the Matrix of Leadership and your spark. You had him in secret, a painful ordeal where his spark-"

"_ENOUGH! _You've made your point, Fiona Dawn." Optimus was shaken, no one knew of Bumblebee's origins on his team, or any of his men for that matter. Not even Ratchet as a medic or Ironhide as Bumblebee's caretaker. Those who had been present had perished long, long ago. "How is it possible? The Allspark, as I said, does not affect organic life."

"Not on the surface, perhaps. The Allspark has been on the planet for a very long time for us humans, countless generations while we were in our evolutionary steps toward our first civilizations. Did the Allspark influence our process of thought and help us along in that way? I do not know. But I do know that it did influence certain people around the world up until it was hidden beneath the concrete of Hoover Dam. It influenced humans by their dreams and their souls. There are stories of great seers, people who are gifted by visions, and of great warriors accomplishing astonishing feats in battle. I believe there have been those who have had gifts, but only those who are in touch with the spirit of their being are able to access any gifts they have. Kailey has the warrior example, and I know she would be too happy to prove it. Mia has a more spiritual connection. But she does something I have never heard of; when she dances with her heart and soul she can paint the air with what she sees."

Fiona gently took her feet down off of Optimus' dash as he considered everything he had heard. The possibility that the Allspark had indeed left its mark on the human race was something he could not ignore.

"Do you still dream?"

"Yes, I do. I don't think whatever the Allspark plans, or hopes for, is done yet. It will never be as it once was, that I know. Where this goes from here, I don't know. I haven't been able to figure that out yet. How many like Mia, Kailey, and Shia? I have no idea. It could just be them, or it could be millions of people on this planet. The Allspark shows only what it wishes me to know. And what it does show me is for me to solve, and me alone."

That had certainly answered a few of Optimus' questions but also raised more. The implications were astonishing. "I believe this should stay between us as much as possible."

"I agree whole heartedly with you there. I'm not a messiah or prophet, thank you. And I don't want any of your kind to think that when they get here."

"Any of my kind? Get here?" Optimus shuddered, his whole frame shaking. If Fiona was telling the truth, if what she suspected was the truth, if her dreams foretold the future…

"They are coming, Optimus Prime. I know from the pain of the Allspark your race is in dire straits compared to the numbers you once were, but there is hope. They heard you, and they are coming. How many? I don't know. But I know there _is hope._"

"Thank you, Fiona Dawn."

"It was not a problem, Optimus Prime. Please, call me Fiona. Now let's get out there so Kailey can show you her stuff. I know she's itching to do so."

Optimus could not help but chuckle. "Very well, Fiona. Please, call me Optimus." Optimus opened his cab door, and Fiona climbed out. Once she was a safe distance away, he started his transformation sequence. Standing his full height, he turned his gaze to the last human of their party. "Kailey, I believe there is something you wish to show me?"

Kailey looked up, her brown eyes brightened, and an amber glint entered them. "So, proof is what he wants? Proof is what he will get." She turned her attention to Barricade who stepped back and away from her.

"I've had my aft handed to me once by you, that was enough, fleshy." He knelt down and Shia rushed to his hand, Fiona following at a more sedate pace.

Kailey turned her attention back to Optimus. "I can't kick your butt, you've been okay." She turned on her heel, dust spinning as she did so, and faced Ironhide with a feral grin spread across her lips. "Which leaves you, old clunker."

Outraged, Ironhide stepped forward menacingly, his cannons whining. "Old Clunker?! I'd like to see you-" Ironhide never finished his Clint Eastwood impersonation as Kailey stepped forward, threw her shoulder into motion as if she was hitting a wall, then flinging her arm up and out. Ironhide's sensors gave him a nano-second of warning before an invisible force knocked him backwards and then up into the air. Ironhide flailed around in the air several dozen yards back before gravity took hold, and he came crashing down on his back. Snarling he sprung up, his cannons charging, his gaze fixed on Kailey.

"Ironhide, stand down."

"She attacked me! I don't know what to Primus she did-"

"Stand down, that is an order." Optimus' own hard stare was enough, and a still fuming Ironhide powered down his cannons. Optimus turned his gaze to Kailey and remembered the broken nose she had given Simmons; she could have easily killed the agent with the flick of her wrist from what she just demonstrated. "A warning would have been nice, Miss. Kailey."

Kailey only shrugged, stepping toward Barricade to help relieve him of a clingy Shia. Optimus sighed deeply, a habit he was quickly developing, before kneeling down so the females could climb into his hand, and their hike back to the road began.


End file.
